Can PHI Be Disclosed for Public Health Activities?
In general PHI can be disclosed, without authorization, to a public health authority for purposes like monitoring disease or injury; reporting vital events such as births or deaths; and conducting any kind of public health surveillance, like investigations or interventions.
Public health authorities include State and local health departments, the Food and Drug Administration known as the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention known as the CDC, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration known as OSHA.